Said and Done
by CadyD
Summary: Kovu succeeds in killing Simba, and Scar's dying wish is fulfilled, as is Zira's lust for revenge...but what now? There must be something to do after everything is said and done, right?
1. We'll See Who You Really Are

Chapter 1

"The plan is in motion," Zira said grimly, an evil grin playing across her muzzle. "GO!"  
At the sound of this release, Kovu bolted down the rocky mound and into the forest fire. He knew what he needed to do, and this was what he trained for.

_Simba must die. _Was the only thing heard in Kovu's mind. Kovu was going to get close to the King's daughter, Kiara, and once they _think _he's on their side, he'd kill Simba and take the throne. Kovu was ready to fulfill Scar's dying wish. It was his destiny. Kovu's ears suddenly pricked to the sound of frantic wailing, and knew immediatley that it was the princess. As he casually padded forward, avoiding the flames, Kovu couldn't help but suppress an amused chuckle. Then, the golden-brown furred lioness dashed into sight. Her reddish-brown eyes wild in fear. Kovu decided to stalk around and come up from behind to rescue her. He watched, his own greenish-blue eyes narrowed at the heat. Kiara leaped over a large gap filled with flames, grabbed hold of a small cliff, and hung there, her claws scrapping the stone in an attempt to pull herself up. Kovu's eyes widened, and he hurried over himself. More dead trees began to fall down in front of him, but Kovu lept over them and hurtled himself at a safe spot that finally came. He could see Kiara in the distance, still not seeming to notice him through the hot, reddish fog, and falling to the ground. Kovu breathed heavily and padded over, glaring down at her.

_No skills whatsoever, _He growled silently, watching as the princess slowly lifted her head and gazed up at him fearfully, but then drooped back down. _she's certainly in no condition to walk back to her home. _Kovu rested a paw to her neck and flipped her limp head over to look at her face. He sighed and, with a small snarl, grasped her scruff in his jaws and yanked her up and onto his back. Kiara's body still so limp, Kovu staggered a bit as she dropped down onto him. He lifted another paw to steady her, then began running. He'd probably end up just like her if he didn't leave soon. And more firey dead trees fell over in front of him. Just as he saw the blood red, cloudy sky, did Kovu end up leaping from the forest and down into a seemingly endless drop. Landing in water, Kovu had to admit, was a bit of a shock. He had almost forgotten it was there. Then he remembered Kiara an instant later and saw her, in the distance, sinking down into it. Kovu took a deep breath, plunged under himself, and came out with her scruff once again locked his his teeth. It was a wonderful, successful feeling when Kovu reached the shore and dropped Kiara's body. He padded a little farther ahead and turned to look at her, a smirk beginning to form across his face. Kiara coughed up much water, then began taking in gulps of air. She moaned a bit, then barely lifted her head to ask quietly, "Where am I?"

Kovu lifted his own head higher to announce, "You're safe, in the Pride Lands."  
"The Pride Lands?" Kiara's face showed more confusion, then sudden anger, which confused Kovu all the more, "No! Why'd you bring me here? Who do you think you are?" She stood up to glare at him feircely.

Kovu's eyes widened. "I _think _I'm the one who just saved your life!"  
"Look, I had everything under control." Kiara's voice shook with rage.

"Not from where I was standing." Kovu said triumphantly.

"Then move down wind." Kiara growled, turning her back on him, she padded away.

Kovu bared his teeth angrily, _What an ungreatful little lioness! _and hurried on beside her. He blocked her way with a mischievous grin. Kiara only glared and turned away, heading in a different direction. Kovu did the same on that side of the reed-surrounded clearing. Kiara's eyes flared in frustration and got low, pouncing away and behind him. She still faced him, however.

Kovu turned around to look at her in his own confusion. "What are you doing?"  
Kiara's eyes widened, and Kovu knew she recongnized him from when they met as cubs. But he had totally new intentions now.

"Kovu?" Kiara asked hopefully.

Kovu only smirked.

Kiara smiled up at him, until the roar of another lion sounded, "KIARA!"

Kovu's eyes suddenly fixed on the lion he was destined to kill; Simba.

Indeed, the golden-brown furred male with ruby-red eyes and alburn mane came jumping out, snarling angrily at him.

"Kiara! You're all right." A pale lioness with ocean-blue eyes came running over to nuzzle Kiara, and Kovu figured that was Nala, Kiara's mother and Queen of the Pride Lands.

"Father, how could you break your promise?" Kiara demanded.

"It's a good thing I did. I almost lost you." Simba shot back. "No more hunts for you. Not ever!"  
"But I was doing just fine!" Kiara protested. "Even before Kovu-"  
"Kovu?" Simba glared back at Kovu, letting out another feirce roar.

Kovu growled and roared in response. If it's a fight Simba wanted, he'd get it right here if he wished.  
"'Ey, you!" A deeply accented voice called.

Both Kovu and Simba swung their heads around to see a mandrill standing on one of the many rocks near the clearing. "How dare you save the King's daughter?"  
"_You _saved her?" Simba stared at Kovu doubtfully. "Why?"  
"I humbly ask to join your pride." Kovu said formally.

"No!" Simba said almost immediatley. "You were banished with the other Outsiders."  
Kovu flinched at this comment. He was practically a newborn cub when Zira and the Outsiders were banished. What would he know about that?

"I have left the Outsiders," He lied curtly. "I'm a rogue. Judge me now, for who I am," Kovu let out a growly sigh. "or am I to be blamed for a crime I didn't commit?" He challenged the King, referring to the fall of King Mufasa, caused by Scar.

Simba snarled and began pacing frustratingly. Even the sound of his Queen's voice didn't change his thought on the matter, "Simba, you owe him your daughter's life."

"Hmm...yes, Sire. Clearly we are in his debt." Simba's majordomo, Zazu, lighted down on the scene, right at Simba's paws. "And royal protocol demands that all debts be payed. Though in this case," Zazu glared past Simba and back suspiciously at Kovu. "you _might_ want to make an exception."

Simba snorted in amusement as he looked back at Kovu, causing Kovu to only lift his head higher.

"My father's law will prevail." Simba decided in a dissmissing voice, making Kiara breath out a sigh of relief. "For now, I reserve judgement. We'll see who you really are." He padded away.

Kovu smirked, his gaze casting over Kiara and Nala who smiled at him welcomingly.

_I'm in. Now all I've got to do is gain their trust. _He prowled after Simba, Kiara and Nala coming from behind him.

* * *

**What do you guys think? I might be doing this story in addition to the "After The Peace" story. I thought it was time for me to try starting another. Though I'll work on finishing "After The Peace". Keep in mind that this story has no realation whatsoever to "After The Peace", it's more like a 'what if?' kind of thing. So, it's not perminate to all those Simba lovers out there xD He's not dead for good, at least not in all the other stories I write, unless I write another about him dying, haha. I suppose you could also say this story has it's similarities with the movie "Megamind". 'Cause Kovu has the slightest idea where he's going with killing Simba, though Zira might. She'll miss the lovely quarrels though D,: Anyway, tell me what you think of the story, and tell me if you think I should continue it. I know a few other people probably made stories based on this idea, but this is my version. This chapter was sort of copying lines from the movie, but the next chapter will be all of my own work :D **


	2. Expecting King Simba's Head

**Finally, eh? I had some really positive reviews on the beginning of this story, many saying they wanted me to continue. I'm going to try and shorten this story a bit, and try not to make it AS long as the "Lion King 3 After The Peace" story is getting to be. I'm hoping to add on just a few more chapters to that before actually finishing anyway.**

* * *

Chapter 2

Over the next few days that followed the rescue, Kovu became successful with gaining Kiara's trust (which wasn't very hard to do at all, since Kiara thought he was doing good from the start). Simba even lighted up on him. Though, Kovu couldn't stay there now. He needed to go along with the plan. It was just hard figuring out how he'd do it. After much thinking and no progress, Kovu decided to find Zira and ask on her ideas.

"Hey, Kovu, where are you going?"

Kovu was walking across the plains, not even moving his head to look as Kiara began to tag along beside him.

"Just a walk." He replied calmly, trying to sound as pleasant as possible.

"Can I come?" Kiara asked hopefully.

"Well..." Kovu gazed off in the direction he was walking in, pretending to think hard. "...I'd rather go alone. Maybe some other time, all right?"  
"It's just that," Kiara sighed. "Kovu, ever since you came here, you never seemed to have your mind on catching up. I mean, I want to get to know you better. Even when we met as cubs, all I knew about you was that your name was Kovu and that you didn't know how to play tag." Kiara smiled down at her paws shyly. "I...I also thought you took care of yourself in the Outlands without parents."  
Kovu flicked one ear in acknowledgement of her words. Annoyance was pricking at him though.

_Those days are far over. Why does she like to think back so far?_

"So," Kiara jumped in front of him, blocking his way. "let's talk."

Kovu bumped into her, his chest pressed against hers. He pulled away awkwardly, "Really, Kiara, I need to-"  
"What's up with you?" Kiara laughed. "Don't you ever just chat with a friend?"  
"No," Kovu looked away, hiding the scowl on his face. "I-I don't."

"Well, it could start off with a nice question." Kiara smiled.

"Fine," Past his annoyance and anger, Kovu sat down.

"Now...what kind of stuff did you do in the Outlands?" Kiara tilted her head.

Kovu growled. "Ah, you know," His voice grew slightly higher in pitch, emphasizing his fake innocence. "I'd play-fight with my sister...staying as far away from the border as possible." He let out a lower growl, adding in such a quiet voice that Kiara couldn't hear, "Watching as Mother slapped Vitani for finding her with Kopa..." This memory made Kovu flinch every time he thought of it, yet it would stay with him forever. He had felt such affection for his sister that day, such pity...though Kovu being Kovu, of course, couldn't understand that feeling at the time, nor could he now.  
"What was that?" Kiara moved closer to him, thinking she could hear him better.  
"Nothing." Kovu looked away, avoiding her soft, reddish-brown gaze.

"Well," Kiara tapped her tail against the terrain. "I liked to star-gaze with my dad." She beamed. "I still do, actually. He doesn't have the time, much, anymore. But I still like to do it," Her head lowered. "alone."  
"What does "star-gaze" mean?" Kovu glanced back at her in confusion.

"I'll show you later." Kiara said excitedly.

"Uh..." Kovu shrugged. "...Okay...listen, I really need to leave. I'll be back soon."  
"All right," Kiara gave him one last soothing smile before lightly padding off. "Maybe we can catch up more later."

"Eh, yeah..." Kovu slinked away, not looking back, and headed towards the Outlands. As he reached the border, he glanced back once to make sure Kiara hadn't followed to spy on him and hurried off.

_I guess she really _did _keep her word in talking to me later. _Kovu realized in surprise.  
"HALT!"

A savage voice snarled, jolting Kovu from his thoughts.

"Step aside, Dotty." Vitani's commanding voice comforted Kovu. She pushed past the Outlander lioness and stood in her spot. "Kovu!" She rushed forward and gruffly brushed her head with her brother's. "What brings you here?"  
"I need to speak with Mother." Kovu explained quickly. "I've got the Pridelanders right where we want them." He smirked. "Simba doesn't suspect anything."  
"Kovu, that's great!" Vitani's violet-blue eyes brightened.

"Yeah, well," Kovu said quickly. "I don't know how I'll corner Simba, though."

"Come on, Mother'll have a solution. She always seems to." Vitani swiftly hurried off across the cracked terrain of the Outlands. Kovu nodded and followed after her. The ground felt rather odd compared to the soft, lush Pride Lands terrain. It shook Kovu that he had grown so used to the Pride Lands, but he supposed he'd need to once he became King.

Each Outsider lioness lifted her head to stare as Kovu and Vitani came past.

"K-Kovu," Nuka hurried from a group of lionesses. "what are _you _doing here?" When Vitani glared at him, he added hastily, "When-when you could have come _far _sooner! We missed you, brother!"  
"Glad to hear it, Nuka." Kovu hissed, making his older brother flinch and run off.

"Nice one." Vitani laughed.

"Thanks." Kovu smirked.

As they entered the cave, they heard the screeching of claws as they scraped down the cave wall. Zira sat near the back, muttering to herself in strange tones as if she had gone mad.  
"Mother has been rather anxious and jumpy since you left." Vitani whispered, then turned back to Zira after Kovu nodded in understanding. "Eh, Mother?"  
"Vitani," Zira's scruffy head turned, her blood-red gaze pinned on her daughter. When she saw Kovu, she hurriedly jumped to her paws and ran over, licking him on the cheek. "Dear," She beamed. "you've come back."  
"Y-yes, I have." Kovu stiffly nodded.

"With Simba's head with you, I suspect...?" Zira pulled away from him and began sniffing his muzzle. "...Kovu, I smell no blood."  
"That's because," Kovu shuffled his paws uneasily. "I haven't done it yet."  
"WHAT?" Zira snarled.

"I-I can explain!" Kovu exclaimed.

"You'd better." Zira growled.

"I'm not sure how I _should_ do it." Those words seemed to calm Zira, to Kovu's relief.

"Anyway you can manage, dear." Zira smiled warmly at him, but for some reason, it sent a chill down Kovu's spine. "Unless," She flexed her claws out again. "You wish of _me_ to take part in it?"

"Well, yes...?" Kovu shrugged.

Zira hugged him again. "I knew you'd think of me, dear." She glanced at Vitani. "Go inform the pride."  
"The pride?" Kovu tilted his head.  
"Of course," Zira nodded. "they'll take part in this too. Somehow, tomorrow, bring Simba to the very outskirts of the Pride Lands, somewhere he can't call for help. Leave the rest to us."

Kovu bared his fangs in satisfaction, "Yes, ma'am."  
Vitani chuckled and backed out of the cave, roaring to the rest of the pride.

"Go back, now. Before Simba comes looking for you." Zira growled.

"But wait," Kovu turned to her. "how will _I _know when you're coming?"  
"That wont matter." Zira narrowed her eyes. "You'd probably sense us faster than he could, anyhow. Now, go!"  
"Okay." Kovu backed out too and brushed past the other lionesses who called after him encouragingly as he rushed back to the Pride Lands.

* * *

"Where has Kovu gone off to?"

Kiara turned to look as Simba sat down next to her. His expression was slightly suspicious, and Kiara was worried that he had lost trust in Kovu already. There _were_ some lionesses in the pride who still didn't trust Kovu much.

"He said he was going out for a walk." Kiara replied to her father absentmindedly.  
"I figured you'd go with him." Simba told her, and Kiara was surprised to hear a slightly stern tone to it. Nonetheless, Kiara nuzzled her father reassuringly.

"I'm sure he'll be back soon." She murmured.

"I know I stated out loud that he had grown on all of us," Simba now sounded stressed. "but when he does things like this, Kiara, I just..." He sighed.

"Does things like what?" Kiara pulled away from him, now glaring.

"You never know where he could be going." Simba explained himself slowly.

"_I_ trust him." Kiara said firmly. "I'm not sure about _you_."

"Now, now, Kiara," Simba nudged her. "there's no need for such tones and words put together like that when talking to me." He looked away from her and down the rocks. "I still trust him pretty well."

Kiara smiled. "Look, there he is now!" She motioned her head towards the dark-brown outline of Kovu making his way across the plains, back towards Pride Rock.  
"I told you we could trust him!" Kiara exclaimed, rushing down the rocks. Simba heaved a sigh. He supposed she was right.


	3. Argument On The Hill

**Ah, finally, eh? I suppose using a more interesting font makes writing more interesting too (not that it isn't). I just haven't really been feeling in the all and entire mood lately. I had to get this done though. I want to finish it. And...I have been getting some good ideas for it. So, look out for more soon!**

* * *

Chapter 3

"You were gone for a while, Kovu." Kiara said in a relieved voice that she was happy to let out now that she was out of earshot from her father. "I was starting to get worried." She was walking next to Kovu on their way back to Pride Rock.  
Kovu flashed her a highly convincing smile. "I'd never leave you guys."

Kiara sighed, beaming down at her paws in a slightly shy matter. "I...I knew you wouldn't."

That night, Kiara did just as she said she would by taking Kovu out on a high, grassy hill to star-gaze. This surprised Kovu. After all of cubhood, living in the Outlands where almost every promise and word was broken...he found a place where almost every promise and word was _fulfilled_. Kiara was a very honest lioness, as was many of the other lionesses who lived in the Pride Lands. In fact, every animal in the Pride Lands seemed to keep their promises and words in many different ways. Did Simba teach them this? Were things _always _this way? How were they so sure they could keep a promise? And more so...how do they keep a promise almost every time they say they will? Questions like these floated about in Kovu's mind as he lay sprawled on his back, gazing up at the stars. Now that Kiara showed him, it sorta made more sense than when she had mentioned it to him earlier that day.

"See that one?" Kiara's voice jolted Kovu from his thoughts. The golden-furred lioness pointed her paw straight up at the now dark-blue sky that was filled with clusters of stars. "That's King Ahadi, and next to him is Queen Uru."  
"And they were...?" Kovu stared at Kiara expectantly.

"Oh," Kiara smiled. "they were King Mufasa's parents."  
"That would also make them Scar's parents, right?" Kovu asked quite bluntly and openly, causing Kiara to glance at him with an unpleasantly surprised expression on her face. As true as that was, she was not exactly ready to start talking about Scar, or anything about him.

Pushing that aside, however, she nodded awkwardly, "Yes...yes, that would make them Scar's parents as well."  
Kovu didn't seem to notice the lioness's uneasiness, however. He looked around the sky, his greenish-blue eyes reflecting the glow of the stars.

"That-that one," Kiara muttered, trying to cut the silence. "that's King Mohatu."

"Mmm," Kovu nodded, not exactly sure which star Kiara was pointing out. "yeah, yeah...that looks like it'd be his star." He looked away completely from Kiara and soon sat up, gazing down at his paws.

"Is something wrong?" Kiara asked in a concerned tone.

"Nothing." Kovu shook his head, turning to look back at her now.

He watched in slight awe as Kiara rose up, sitting at his height. Her golden-brown fur looked quite beautiful in the moonlight, as did her eyes. In fact, as Kovu looked on, he'd go as far as saying Kiara was straight-out beautiful, without the light of the moon being there.

With him being from the Outlands, however, the first thought he had about her was quite vile...he was positive Simba would have his pelt for doing what he wanted to do now. Kiara was so oblivious though.

Should he?  
_No._ Kiara would never trust him again.

"Is something wrong?" The lioness asked suddenly.

"Nothing's wrong." Kovu growled lowly, causing Kiara to jump a bit, startled by his new, gruff tone of voice. Why did she keep asking? He'd already told her he was fine. Several times already tonight. Did he really appear that bothered?

"I'm..I'm very well, thank you." He added hastily, glaring off into the distance. The sound of those two last words to his sentence felt awkward and wrong coming off his tongue. Did everyone feel so wrong about saying them? If they did, Kovu had no idea why anyone would want to.

"I'm sorry if I got you mad." Kiara frowned.

"What?" Kovu glanced back at her in surprise.

"You sound angry." Kiara said hesitantly, cringing.

"You didn't do anything." Kovu glared at her crossly. "Even if you did, you don't need to say sorry, you know."  
"I don't?" Kiara perked her ears up in alarm.

"Of course not. Not if you don't want to."  
"It's common courtesy."  
"It seems more like nonsense to me."  
Tension sparked up between the two, like a fire that was just being born.

"You may not have been taught it, but I was." Kiara rose to her paws to glare at the dark male who stood in front of her.

"I was taught plenty." Kovu sneered, standing up to tower over her. "Your _'common courtesy' _just seemed like an extra thing that my Mother hadn't found necessary."  
"Why wouldn't she find it necessary?" Kiara demanded. "It's so important!"  
"Maybe to _you_."  
"To everyone!" Kiara shrieked, taking in a deep breath when Kovu didn't respond to that. He simply eyed her.

"What's happened to you, Kovu?" The princess asked weakly. "From what I knew of you, you were so kind, even if a bit cocky. You were almost..." She cut herself off and turned her head away, closing her eyes.

"What?" Kovu prompted quietly.

"Forget it." Kiara sat, gazing down at her paws sadly.

"What were you going to say?" Kovu's voice grew dangerous. "Tell me."  
"PERFECT!" Kiara screamed, rising to her paws once more. "You were almost _perfect_." She quickly ran off down the grassy hill without another word, leaving Kovu to stand there and watch after her in confusion.

"Perfect..?" He breathed. _What does she mean?_

Kovu walked back to Pride Rock by himself, crickets chirping from all around him. He reached the rocky platform, only to find Simba (of all lions) walking over to him. Waiting for a loud, angry scolding for upsetting Simba's daughter, Kovu scraped his claws across the stone in a frustrated manner.

Simba finally reached him, and stared for a moment, his ruby red eyes blinking through the gloom. Kovu stared right back without blinking.

"It's..." The king finally spoke somewhat awkwardly. "...it's kinda cold tonight." He remarked.

"Yeah...?" Kovu tried, tilting his head to one side.

"Please," Simba gave a small smile, motioning his head towards the cave. "come on in." He turned around and began walking back.

Kovu watched after him in shock. He got to sleep _inside _now? With an odd shrug, he padded after Simba, trying hard not to let his black claws scrape against the rock like they usually did. Did Kiara go on to tell her father that she actually enjoyed her time with Kovu? He'd gotten her mad! Surely she would have told Simba, in which the king would grow angry himself and keep Kovu outside in the cold tonight. But no. Kiara obviously hadn't spoken about the little quarrel that went down on the hill that night. For that, Kovu would be stretching if he said he wasn't grateful. Kiara was sleeping near her parents though, her eyes already closed, as Kovu walked in.

"My apologies," Simba whispered, almost too quiet for Kovu to hear. "but the other lionesses didn't really want you sleeping near them. Find some place near the wall to lay down."

Kovu nodded silently, separating himself from the other male to stalk over to the wall, settling down next to it. He let his emerald gaze travel over the sleeping lionesses, Kiara in particular. Why would she do that? That very question still haunted his thoughts until he finally drifted off to sleep.

Morning came almost _too _quickly. Kovu's eyes flickered open to see a few figures of different lionesses rising to meet the dawn. Today was the day he'd slaughter Simba, and take over the Pride Lands as king...

"Kovu?"

He turned in alarm to see Kiara smiling at him weakly.

"I'm..sorry for last night." She said rather sadly.

"Don't say that word." Kovu growled, staggering to his paws. "I'd forgive you anyway." He smiled, though he was secretly smirking. "We have a big day ahead of us."  
"We do?" Kiara pricked her ears.

"Yes." Kovu nodded solemnly. "I...I have a business to discuss with your father. Would you mind fetching him...please?"

Kiara looked delighted that he had said that last word, and she hurried off to find Simba who was already sat outside with Nala next to him. Kovu stalked after her, his head low.

"What does he want?" Simba's wary voice asked as Kovu approached.

"To talk some sort of business with you." Kiara explained happily. She hadn't noticed Kovu coming up from behind her, and said with a shy smile, "I think he's decided on staying here."  
_Oh, I'll be staying here, all right. _Kovu came to her side and nodded.

"Hmm.." Simba eyed him suspiciously for a few heartbeats, but a gentle nudge from Nala seemed to change it. "...very well. I'll hear what you have to say." He glanced at Kovu hard. "I have a word to speak with him as well."

Kovu tilted his head in confusion at this while Kiara beamed at her father, and Simba smiled in turn. The king rose to his paws and came to stand in front of Kovu.  
"Where shall we go?"  
"I know a place." Kovu muttered.

Simba stared at him, ruby red eyes glinting. "Let's go then."  
Kovu cleared his throat and padded past Nala and Kiara, his pelt brushing theirs for an instant. Simba trailed on beside him.

"Staying here.." He began with a fake grin once everyone on top of Pride Rock was out of earshot. "..would be the most amazing experience. Especially with that beautiful, gorgeous daughter of yours."  
Simba rose an eye brow at him. That obviously wasn't the best thing to say.

"Er..." Kovu stared down at his paws. "..lovely place you've got here, as well."  
"Kovu," Simba breathed. "do you wish to marry my daughter?"  
Kovu froze in place. _What? Where'd he get an idea like that?  
_But Simba went on, "She seems very fond of you."

"I've...noticed." Kovu shrugged. He hadn't, really.

"You have proven yourself to the pride," Simba said. "I wouldn't feel very uncomfortable with you and her together." He gazed at Kovu seriously. "I'd just like to know how you feel on the matter."

Kovu gulped. When he said Kiara was gorgeous, he wasn't all and entirely serious himself. Outsider lions were crude towards females. They'd call them beautiful without really meaning it, and often joke about. Simba seemed to believe him though.

"I'm..not all that sure." Kovu said with another nervous shrug. His leaf-green gaze traveled the passing dead trees. They were further into the outskirts, and this was getting awkward. Where was Zira and the pride? "I'll let you think on it if you wish." Simba said politely, more so than Kovu was used to. "It's Kiara I'm rather worried about." He chuckled. "She's a very patient lioness. The suspense might soon get to her, though."

Kovu tried to smile, but he was too caught up on the passing shadows within the greenish-brown fog that came into sight. Amber, green, red, and violet-blue eyes were poking through, and Simba came to a halt.

"Who's there?" The king called. "Show yourselves!"  
Kovu grinned evilly. _About time!  
_"Simba." Zira came prowling through the gloom, smirking triumphantly. "Welcome.."  
"Zira." Simba bristled, his eyes narrowing. "You've crossed over the border." He growled accusingly.  
"I led _you _over the border." Kovu whispered, padding out from beside the king to take his place in front of Zira, Vitani and Nuka. "Who's tresspassing now, _Pridelander_?"  
"You!" Simba hissed.

"Now!" Zira snarled.

The Outlanders lunged forward, tackling Simba over before he could react. They were mauling him brutally, the only two still standing to watch was Zira and Kovu.

After a couple more heartbeats of ripping, Kovu stepped forward. "_Enough_!"

Every lioness drew back at his deathly tone. Vitani even glanced up in surprise, yanking Nuka backwards. She looked rather disappointed that the mauling had ended just as fast as it had started.

Simba was laying on his side, a gash on his shoulder spilling most of the blood. His left ear was ripped. Though he still staggered back up, glaring at Kovu angrily.

"You lied."  
"No..._really_?" Kovu came to face directly at the king, the cold, still air causing his fur to stand on end. "Never turn your back on an Outsider," He whispered, nose to nose with Simba now. "remember? You had forgotten."  
"We took you in." Simba growled. "You weren't an Outsider to us anymore. You were a Pridelander like the rest of us."  
"Says the lion who kept me outside in the cold at night." Kovu sneered, circling the king. "You've got absolutely nothing to say for yourself."

"I wouldn't have done that if I'd have known how you'd grow on us." Simba said, staring up at Kovu with a somewhat pleading gaze. That didn't help his cause much though. It only made Kovu's grim satisfaction intensify. A king was pleading to _him_.

"It'd be pure trust if it had been from the start, wouldn't it?" Vitani piped up with a large grin.

Kovu ignored her. "I'm gonna make this slow and painful." He muttered under his breath, close enough to Simba's ripped ear.

Nuka sniffed. "Get on with it then, little termite."  
Kovu, once again, ignored their voices. He was concentrating.

"I know you don't want to do this, Kovu." Simba murmured.

"That's where you're wrong." Kovu growled. With one swift movement, he had Simba pinned, his dark claws to the king's throat. Simba stared up at him in alarm. Kovu chuckled darkly; Simba never got to say goodbye to his family. How...unfortunate.

"Now, Kovu!" Zira exclaimed.

Kovu quickly slashed his claws across Simba's throat. The golden-brown furred lion gasped in breath, only to take another few bites to the face. He was already bleeding badly from the earlier mauling. Kovu savoured the taste of blood as he ran his tongue over his fangs that had slid out. Simba's mouth was gaped open, blood bubbling from the wound that had just been made. Zira's rough cackling of triumph came over Kovu in a wave. Had he done it?

Suddenly, with all he had left, Simba took the last action of reaching out to slash the dark lion across the face.

"Augh!" Kovu stumbled backwards off the dying lion, blood dripping from his eye. Through his now-blurry vision, he watched as Simba jolted and twitched a few more times, blood still streaming down his chest. Then he fell limp, his contracted eyes closing, too weak to carry on. He was dead.

* * *

**Sorry for that probably over-use of blood at the end. I have this current obsession with _Sweeney Todd_, and the way the blood flowed out of all those victims' throats sorta..inspired me, I guess. Sorta wrong, too. O.o That's a pretty graphic movie, but I love it :3 I am going to make a Sweeney Todd fanfic soon, by the way. Maybe once this is done with, and I am left to work on that "New City Vanishings" story. I can work on two at the same time again. :D So anyway...hope you enjoyed this! Next one'll be up soon, hopefully.**


	4. The New Order

Chapter 4

"Kovu," Zira breathed, padding over to stare at Simba's dead body. "you've done it."  
Kovu barely noticed her, his hard glare turned on Simba so fast after he had died. The king had given him a wound, and Kovu couldn't do anything to cause more pain to him...

That was clever. Annoyingly clever.

"Respond to me when I talk to you!" Zira snapped.

Kovu turned on her with anger lit in his eyes, and the bony lioness recoiled with a gasp. A scar. Across his left eye...just like Scar himself had had.

"Whoa," Vitani gaped at him as she padded around to see what her Mother had been staring at. "Simba's done some nice carving work there, hasn't he, Mother?"  
"Yes..." Zira whispered, lifting a paw to wipe the blood from under Kovu's eye. The dark male drew back, growling in pain. His Mother, however, kept her blood-red eyes pinned on it. It added such an...ugly touch. It did nothing short of irritate her that Kovu didn't seem too happy about it.

"You look just like him," She said in a soothing manner, nudging him gently. "handsome, of course." She smiled fondly.

Kovu looked on, however. His glare reminded Zira all too much of her lost mate.

"Come on, dear." Zira whispered, slowly pushing him away from Simba's dead body. "We must inform the pride of their new king." She beamed.  
"Wont they attack if they find out Kovu killed him?" Nuka asked.

"Of course not." Zira snapped, making her older son flinch. "Without a king, they're powerless. No king to order them around, and nothing gets done. That's why Kovu's filling in."

Nuka still looked somewhat confused, though he got the hint to keep his jaws shut. Kovu, Zira, Vitani and Nuka led the rest of the Outsider lions back into the Pride Lands, their scruffy, lanky figures unusually threatening.

Kiara and Nala still stood upon Pride Rock's main platform, staring off into the distance with worry.

"It's..it's taking them rather long, isn't it?" Nala remarked uneasily.

"They'll be back." Kiara said softly in reply. "I know they'll be. Kovu wants to stay here." She gazed down at her paws. "I know he does."  
Nala stared at her daughter with a new sadness lit in her ocean-blue eyes. She knew Kiara had feelings for Kovu, and though Nala didn't mind the two young lions being friends, something about them together worried her. Kovu had the absolute guts to break Kiara's heart. He could do it faster than you could state it offical. Nala was sure Zira had brain-washed him, because he looked like such a helpless young cub so long ago. She remembered his dark, shivering figure clearly. It stood out against all the brightly colored Pridelander pelts. Even Zira's fur had a lighter tone.

Kovu had turned into yet another Scar that the pride simply didn't need. He's just as black-hearted as his father. Everyone knew that. Yet Kiara wouldn't accept the fact that her affections could easily lead to disappointment and heart-break.

"Look!" Kiara gasped, shaking Nala from her thoughts. The two lionesses watched as the Outsiders made their way towards Pride Rock. It caught the attention of many animals, and every being lifted their heads to stare, some in fear, while others in contempt and hostility. The rest of the lionesses who lived at Pride Rock soon joined Kiara and Nala at the edge, worry in their eyes. Zazu landed on a nearby tree branch, shakily wondering where Simba had gone. Timon and Pumbaa as well looked wary.

"Where's Simba?" Nala asked quietly, mostly to herself.

Kiara shook her head, quickly running down the rocks to meet the scrawny lions at the bottom. Nala soon followed, while the other lionesses lingered.

"Kovu?" Kiara stopped, and Kovu and Zira soon did as well. She glanced at Zira wordlessly, and quickly turned to Kovu for an explanation.

Kovu gazed at her with an unreadable expression on his face, until he finally spoke, "Things..." He slowly smirked. "...things are going to change around here, my dear."  
"What?" Nala came to stand next to her daughter. "What are you talking about? Where is Simba?"

"We could fetch him," Kovu murmured darkly. "couldn't we, Mother?"  
Zira grinned evilly, unable to hide it any longer. "We'd gladly do so."  
"What've you done with him?" Nala demanded, lashing out. Kiara quickly leaped forward to hold her back. Kovu didn't flinch.

"Simba's gone." Zira whispered.

"No!" Kiara gasped, her eyes widening, while Nala let out another savage snarl. "K-Kovu...how-how could you?"  
"How could I betray my friends and family?" Kovu retorted quietly. "I know _you_ wouldn't."

Kiara didn't have a response. She was too busy staring up at him with a tearful gaze that Kovu desperately wanted an excuse to look away from. _Why? _Kovu growled suddenly, glancing at Zira with a hard glare. "Things will be going the way they always have." He muttered, nodding to her. "Just..." He chuckled darkly. "...a few new rules, of course."

"Get out," Nala growled. "you've been banished, Zira. Nothing, and I mean _nothing_, will change that."

"You have no King Simba anymore," Zira sneered. "You must take orders from Kovu now."  
"You can't do this!" Kiara shrieked, emotion choking her voice. Nala felt a feirce rush of pity for her daughter. She had believed Kovu changed, when he really hadn't changed a damn bit. And now Simba was gone...

Nala shook her head quickly. She was strong, and she'd greive for her mate when all of this was over. And it _would _be over soon. She knew it.

Kovu stalked forward. "Everything will be as it was." He said smugly, making Nala desperately want to claw him. "Get hunting," He added, turning to Kiara, then to the rest of the lionesses. "we're low on food."  
Kiara opened her mouth to speak, but simply couldn't say anything. She felt like throwing up. How could things change so quickly like this?

Nala nudged her daughter on the shoulder lightly. "I'm staying behind to put a few words forward. Go practice your hunting skills. We _are _low on food, as much as I hate to admit it. Sarabi and Sarafina will help you."  
Kiara fought back a whimper rising in her throat, and quickly buried her muzzle into her mother's shoulder. "I'll be strong." She murmured.

Nala nodded solemnly and nuzzled her daughter sadly. "Go then." She whispered, and watched in dismay as Kiara led the other lionesses off. They all went with reluctance, casting Kovu and the Outsiders dirty looks. Kovu flipped around to gaze at Nala steadily. "I'm, in fact, _glad _you stayed behind."

"What?" Nala's fur bristled uneasily.

"While Simba and I talked," Kovu explained. "he offered I marry Kiara. Take her as my queen."  
"I wont let you." Nala growled.

"You can't stop it from happening." Zira hissed. "Kovu killed Simba, and he can quite as easily kill you." She faced Nala with a hard glare. "Kovu will take Kiara as his own, and she will raise his cub."  
Nala's heart skipped a beat. Kiara wasn't old enough. Though she was mature, and nearly a year old. Nala didn't like the idea of her daughter giving birth to cubs at this age. She didn't say anything though as she stalked off, most likely to think about what the future held. She knew for a fact that it'd end with the Pridelanders winning though. It always seemed to, and she did believe they needed it right now.

Very badly.

Kiara tearfully followed after Sarabi and Sarafina, her mind occasionally drifting over to Kovu. She loved him. Why couldn't he love her back?  
Then again, he killed her father.

Father...

Kiara sniffled hopelessly, her head hung low.

Sarabi came to nuzzle her granddaughter. "I miss him too." She murmured, tears running from her light brown eyes. Simba _was _her son, after all.

It wasn't all Simba that was getting to Kiara though. It upsetted her that she absolutely hated Kovu now. He was so vile...he hurt her so much. It was only minutes after the news was broken, too. Kiara felt broken. Very broken. Hopelessly broken. This wasn't how she dreamed things would turn out in the end.

Not at all.


	5. A Feathered Friend

**Sorry this took so long. I'm going to pick up the pace, I promise. Because this appears to be my most popular story out of all at the moment (and that makes me happy, of course!).**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

Chapter 5

Kiara made her way back to Pride Rock with the rest of the lionesses, glumly helping Sarabi and Sarafina carry the carcass of an antelope. This'd be enough to feed the pride. That is...if the new members didn't hog it all. That was what Kiara expected, and especially from Kovu.

She breathed out wearily once they finally dropped the body, and Kiara glanced up with cloudy reddish-brown eyes to see Nala walking over. There was still sympathy mixed with much sadness within the sandy colored lioness's gaze.

"How was the hunt?" She murmured.

"Fine." Kiara replied absently, casting odd looks over her mother's shoulder.

"Kovu, Zira, and the rest of those brutes are inside right now." Nala assured her daughter, her voice bitter and rough.

"Oh," Kiara shrugged, her head lowering.

"Kiara," Nala brushed her muzzle along the golden-brown lioness's shoulder. "what is it with you and Kovu at the moment?"

Kiara blinked at her with faint surprise. Sarabi, Sarafina, and the rest of the lionesses cleared off to let the queen and princess talk.

"I..I thought he changed."

"I know."

They sat down, brushing pelts.

"And-and I can't believe Dad's gone." Kiara went on shakily.

"I know." Nala murmured, rasping her tongue over her daughter's head in a gesture of comfort. "I'm sending a patrol out to find his body. I don't care what that brute has to say about it."

"I don't know if I'll be able to look at his body, Mother." Kiara whispered.

"Neither do I," Nala pointed out gently. "but if we want to bury him next to _his _father, as we always agreed on doing, we must."

Kiara sighed. "...All right."

"Get some rest, Kiara." Nala ordered quietly.

"Okay." She _was _pretty tired, she had to admit.

But wait...

"What if I don't want to sleep in that cave?" She muttered.

Nala sighed. "This is just wrong."

* * *

"She's coming, is she?" Kovu lounged near the back of the cave, Zira sitting just beside the wall with an odd glare on her face.

Vitani and Nuka were arguing about something further off.

"You two!" The new king snapped, causing both siblings, as well as the rest of the bony lionesses who lay in there, to jump.

"Y-yes, sir?" Nuka stammered.

"Make up a place for Kiara to sleep." Kovu ordered.

"Why?" Vitani snorted. "She can very well do that on her own."

"Because I said so!" He snarled.

"Well, that just made things clearer..." Nuka muttered.

Kiara, however, already came strolling in to glare at the Outsider lions, and mainly the new king in general. "I'm fine, thanks." She said flatly, her claws clicking against the stone floor as she strode into the shadows to lie down.

"Nonsense." Kovu rose to his large paws almost immediately, padding over to approach her cautiously. "A princess deserves so much better."

"I said I'm fine." Kiara growled.

"No need for such a hostile tone, is there?"

"I don't know. You killed my father. It seems only right."

"Many things seem "oh so right"." Kovu settled down onto his haunches beside her, smirking. "I know one in particular that couldn't get more right than the word itself."

"Really?" Kiara glared up at him, raising an eyebrow. "Don't tell me."

"I wouldn't have to." Kovu inched his muzzle closer to hers, but she pulled away.

"I _hope _you're not suggesting what I think you are." The golden-brown lioness sat up, her lips drawn back in a soundless snarl. "You better have a look taken at that abnormally large head of yours." She got back to her paws, now hissing down at him. "I hope you know who I am, too."

"Who you are?" Kovu murmured, his voice so dark and...and rather tempting...

_No! What am I doing? _Kiara couldn't believe she was nearly giving in to this repulsing thought. "Yes, who I am. Who _do _you think I am, anyway?"

"A lovely princess with a story that has not been fully completed yet." Kovu rose back to his full height as well, now towering over Kiara again. "We can change that though."

"I'd rather keel over and die in a ditch." Kiara turned away and made for the cave entrance.

"Are you sure about that, love?" Kovu followed her, but she only sped up her pace.

"_Positive_." She growled over her shoulder, not being able to help thinking about that little pet name he just gave her so matter-of-factly.

Did he really think of her that way?

His love?

Forcing the thought away, Kiara snuck around the other lionesses who were just going into the cave and bringing the carcass. She could tell, without even looking back at Kovu, that she had frustrated him.

_Good riddance..._

* * *

Kiara walked through the grass, her head low. She wasn't looking where she was going, and nearly walked straight into a tree. Scoffing momentarily at her own oblivion, the princess settled down beside the trunk and dug her chin in between her two golden, cream-tipped paws.

She felt quite ill again.

As though someone ripped something from her and slapped her in the face right after.

And...she could still feel the sting on her cheek...

"Young Mistress, what are you doing out here?"

She jumped at the sound of an English accented voice calling from above. Glancing up, narrowing her eyes against the little sun that poked through the newly formed gray clouds, Kiara saw the majordomo, Zazu, perched on one of the tree's flimsy branches.

"Oh, Zazu," She murmured, relief washing over her. "you scared me."

"My apologies, Kiara." Zazu lighted down to the terrain beside her with a single flap of his wings. "...Are you all right?"

"I'm fine." Kiara sighed. "I'm just out here to clear my head a bit." She looked away, emotion choking her next few words. "But...but I don't think it'll ever really be clear again."

"We musn't give up hope." Zazu reasoned.

"I know, I know." Kiara rested her reddish-brown orbs on the dirt terrain.

"Of course...that's what King Mufasa would say." The little hornbill had a knowing smile spread across his beak.

"Really?" Kiara glanced down at him curiously. "What would my father say?"

"Master Simba," Zazu cocked his head to one side, still smiling. "I'd say he'd create yet another wrinkle of concern on that large forehead of his, in a time like this. _He'd _deny it. But...that's just the way he is."

Kiara managed a faint smile. "I...I suppose he would."

"Nothing bothered him when he was a cub," Zazu told her. "he'd be in his own little world some times." He gazed at Kiara intently. "And though you tended to be the same...I think you had a better head on your shoulders than he did."

Feeling somewhat defensive of her father, Kiara's expression hardened a bit. "What are you trying to say, Zazu? Do you consider this pay-back, now that he can't punish you because he's dead?"

"Not at all." While Kiara expected him to panic at being yelled at, Zazu remained surprisingly calm. "Simba and I, as shocking as it may seem, had our disagreements, and not only in the past."

"Like what?"

"Well, there was that time that waterbuck got stuck in a ditch. I insisted we help him, but Simba told the lionesses to kill him and end his suffering."

"_What?" _Kiara stared at him in disbelief. "He'd never do that!"

"It was before you were born, young one. He was feeling rather bold because of his new control over the Pride Lands, I guess. He and Nala had an argument that day, and I couldn't help but get involved."

Kiara could picture her mother getting worked up over something like that, but she could _never _imagine her father ordering the pride to do such a thing.

"That's awful." She murmured, resting her head on her paws again.

Zazu cringed. He hadn't meant to bring her spirits down. "...Don't worry, Mistress. Granted, Simba had his flaws. But no one is perfect." He paused to let his words sink in...

...and they did.

"...Maybe Kovu has a few flaws that I'd be more than happy to point out...?" She smirked.

"Hmm," Zazu looked a tad unnerved by the princess's uncharacteristic expression. "what do you mean?"

"I'm not even sure yet." Kiara heavily rose to her paws, an odd grin on her face.

It felt good to smile again.

"Do what you think is right, Kiara." Zazu murmured. "Just be careful."

"Oh, I will. Don't worry about me." She dipped her head, offering a more polite gesture this time. "Thank you, Zazu. I do hope we'll be able to work together again on a brighter occasion." She turned away with that said, and hurriedly made her way back to Pride Rock, her paws drumming the newly-cracked patches of terrain that were beginning to spread along the landscape.

* * *

**Heh, I don't know about you, but I think Kovu's bein' smexy. **

**Ahem...anyway...**

**Please review if you get the chance! I'd love to know people are still waiting for these updates.**

**I'll hopefully have the next one up very soon!**


	6. Love Me

**My gosh :o**

**All those reviews the last chapter got! I'm so happy. XD**

**So happy, in fact, that I decided to write and finish this new chapter in one sitting, so's you guys could have it faster!**

**Warning: There is like..._tons _of romantic angst in this chapter. Brace yourselves. Lol.**

* * *

Chapter 6

Kiara steadily approached Pride Rock, and she couldn't help but notice the gloomy clouds that had formed around her. She supposed she hadn't payed much attention to the sky lately, but it certainly scared her that things were changing so fast.

"Kiara!" Nala came running towards her, and immediately after skidding to a halt, she nuzzled her daughter furiously. "You had me - us - worried sick!"

"Sorry." Kiara muttered.

"Where've you been?" Nala asked, pulling away.

"Just out," The princess replied. "thinking."

"...Well," Nala's expression softened. "it's not much of a surprise that we all need it."

"I know." Kiara sighed. "And I'm sorry I didn't listen to you."

"That's okay." Nala lifted her muzzle into the air and pricked her ears. "I don't know what's taking that patrol so long."

"Ahaha..." A dark chuckle from behind made them both jump.

Kiara flipped around, her alarmed expression turned into one of contempt.

"Zira..." Nala growled.

The bony Outsider lioness ignored her. "It's amusing. How you think you're still in control, Nala."

"How so?" Kiara challenged before her mother could give a snappy reply. "No lioness is going to obey a word Kovu says."

"That's why he's generously giving them time to settle." Zira said contently, sitting down.

"_Settle?" _Nala hissed in disbelief. "No one's going to be able to settle with _him _in control."

"It'll come in time." Zira informed her, in what was, most likely to what she believed, a reassuring voice. "While hardly any lioness makes a gap in her complaining, it meanwhile appears that none of _them_ realize how proud I am."

"Of course," Nala narrowed her eyes. "I almost forgot how cruel you were." She took a step forward. "I almost forgot _just _the reason why we banished you in the first place."

"How _dare _you..."

Kiara's heart skipped a beat.

Kovu came strolling over. _Too _soon.

"How dare _I?"_ Nala grunted.

"That's the question." Kovu smirked at her. "As little to no respect my mother deserves, she _is _worth something. We all have feelings, don't we? Feelings that could quite easily be hurt...?"

Zira casted him an odd glare through her blood-red eyes. "That is quite enough with the mouthing off, Kovu." She fought to keep her voice even.

"Mouthing off?" Kovu blinked at her.

"Go back to the cave..." Zira grumbled.

"Oh, but I wish to speak with these two. There is business we need to discuss that simply cannot be put off any longer." Kovu told his mother with an eerily polite smile. "You...you said I'd have full control, after all." His voice lowered to a murmur as he went on. "I really think _you _should go back to the cave, Mother."

Feeling it her time to jump in, Kiara slowly edged closer to Kovu. She knew he had an interest in her, and quite a repulsing one at that, but that still didn't keep her from being cautious around him. She didn't put it past Kovu to be an abusive mate of sorts.

"Yes, Zira." She agreed, letting a small, seductive smile fall over her features. "Leave us."

Kovu took a confused side glance at her.

"...Kiara?" Nala mumbled pointedly, looking shocked.

Kiara winked at her before going on. "Your son is in control. Let him have a few hours of power alone."

Zira let her gaze rest upon each of them, from Nala's shocked expression, to Kiara's odd seductress act towards Kovu, to Kovu himself, who looked to be on the top of the world at the moment.

"Have your fun, dear." She whispered to Kovu finally, stalking off.

"Off to go kill another cub, I suspect." Kovu remarked casually.

Kiara nearly snapped from her act.

_Kill _another _cub? Just how many cubs has she killed?  
_

"She's not much at the best of times," Kovu sat down beside her. "but she's Mom."

"And...quite a lucky son you are." Kiara gingerly lifted her tail to flick his chin with the brownish tuft at the end, making him blink in genuine surprise this time.

Noticing the hesitance in her daughter's voice, Nala realized the act. She rose back to her paws and gave Kiara a pointed stare that obviously meant, "Don't take things _too _far, because I might just be killing off cubs soon enough as well." before padding away.

"I'm glad they're gone, truth be told." Kiara murmured.

"Are you, now?" Kovu suppressed a smirk.

"Yes...but I thought you wanted my mother here as well." Kiara pointed out.

"She doesn't need to be here like you do." Kovu, strangely enough, untangled himself from her and moved a very short distance away, leaving Kiara to regret not sinking her claws into his paw sooner.

"What's the matter?" She muttered.

"Nothing." Kovu grunted, clearing his throat.

Kiara felt a strange pang of emotion rising into her chest. She came to stand again, leaning in a bit as she spoke once more. "...Kovu, you _do _realize that if I ever wanted to get into a relationship with you, I'd want it to be real. Right?"

"Real?" He looked confused.

Kiara rolled her eyes. "Yes, real. Like, where we'd actually _love_ each other." She eyed him intently for a moment, and her next words were nearly inaudible. "...Do you love me?"

Kovu was silent, though he looked fairily alarmed. He stared at her now, speechless.

Kiara felt as though he had sunken his claws into her heart. She took a few steps back. "That's what I thought." A glare replaced her sorrowful expression. "I'll never forgive you for murdering my father, Kovu." She gazed down at her paws, refusing to meet his eyes, refusing to get lost in them again...

"That only adds onto the fact that you only want to become my mate because you'll then eventually have an heir." She felt her breath become more and more ragged by the second.

"Is that the only reason?" Kovu muttered, seeming to be talking to himself now.

Kiara turned away, hiding her teary eyes from his view. "When you have an answer to that question, I'll be more than happy to hear it." She pelted away from him before he could reply.

Why did he do this to her? He didn't deserve the privilage of doing this to her.

And yet he was...

...and, to her own dismay, it felt right for Kiara. It felt right for her to cry about him.

He wasn't just a guy.

Because she thought him to be _the _guy. The one she was to settle down with, have a family with.

_No...no! I hate him. I do._

Kiara pushed through some reeds and let her paws sink into the sopping wet sand at the shore of the waterhole. Her tears fell into the water, making a rippling effect along the surface.

It had been a while since she looked at her reflection.

It...it startled her.

Because, staring right back at her, was a powerful-looking, golden-brown furred lioness with her father's eyes. With her father's spirit.

Her expression proved nothing of this power, however. It was quite easily hidden under all the sadness, all the uncertainty. She, for the most part, looked like a queen.

Anyone would be able to tell, though, that her appearance suggested far more promising things than her mind ever would.

* * *

**Sorry it is rather short. They'll be longer soon enough.**

**So yeah, if you didn't notice, Kiara was planning on screwing with Kovu's head a bit by showing an interest in him (which is pretty true, though she convinces herself not to believe it). But she ended up getting distracted when he moved away from her; an odd movement that she hadn't expected from him (and _will _be explained in a later chapter).**

**Look out for the next one soon!**


	7. Lightless Meeting

Chapter 7

Navigating through nightfall was easier said than done, and Kiara couldn't see where she was going at all. She was afraid of stepping on a thorn, or perhaps running into a boulder. At the same time, she needed to get back to Pride Rock quickly, as she didn't want her mother to begin worrying again. Kovu certainly wasn't going to bother sending out a search party...

Just thinking about him made the princess's blood boil. How she _hated _him...

...or at least tried desperately to believe she did.

She gazed up into the darkened sky, the stars still faintly visible through the clouds. Moonlight just wasn't there...

There was no light.

Fighting back the urge to cry out in frustration, Kiara trotted onward, missing a thorn by an inch without even knowing it.

* * *

"What happened, son?" Zira stood at the entrance to the cave, eyeing Kovu suspiciously as he climbed up to Pride Rock and strode past her with his head held high.

"Nothing." Kovu replied, turning around to stare at his mother blankly.

"Between you and Kiara? Nothing?" Zira pressed.

"No." Kovu shrugged.

Zira sighed. "I don't know what to think, Kovu."

"Why not?"

"Kiara's just as obnoxiously prideful as her father." Zira came to push Kovu down to his haunches, then sitting down in front of him to look him in the eyes. "You know I didn't care much for Cho...her with that imbecile brother of hers-"

"Don't speak a _word _about her! Or Bozo!" Kovu snapped, jumping to his paws and baring his fangs at Zira. "Get out of my sight!"

But before Zira could obey, Kovu was already storming back into the cave.

However, only a few heartbeats went by before the King came back out to eye Zira darkly. "Where are the lionesses?"

"_What_?" She snapped.

"There are no lionesses in that cave." He growled.

"Why would there be?" Zira leaned in to peer inside.

Indeed, every possible space within the stone room was empty.

What now?

* * *

_Ah, there it is._

Kiara spotted the shadowed peek in the distance. Pride Rock was not hard to spot, even at night. Though it was usually silhouetted against the moon...

"Kiara?"

Kiara jumped. "M-Mom?"

"Get in here!"

She was pulled down into blackness, screaming the whole way down.

When she finally hit dirt ground, she looked up into a pair of familiar ocean blue eyes.

Nala helped her daughter to her paws. "Sorry about the drop." She murmured.

"What's going on here?" Kiara demanded, flipping around a few times to realize that all of the Pridelander lionesses were inside this strange, underground room.

"We're down here to figure out what to do." Sarafina replied firmly. Sarabi nodded from beside her, as did every other lioness.

"Why wasn't I informed?" Kiara asked.

"We couldn't go passing about plans anywhere near _them_." Nala growled. "It's better this way."

Kiara didn't reply. She just sat among her friends, shivering. It felt good to be with pride members and no one else, she had to admit. Even if she didn't have a clue on how to defeat these evil lions. She wouldn't deny the fact that Kovu's emerald gaze was still captured in the back of her mind...

"Wait," Nala navigated her way to the very middle of the group, lashing her tail a few times to catch each of their attentions'. "They need us, obviously. Why don't we just tell them that we won't come out until they release their control on us?"

"But that could take forever." Kiara pointed out, shaking her head to clear all thoughts of Kovu. "We could die."

"At least we'd be dying for our sanity," Sarabi muttered.

"And the sanity of the pride, no less." Sarafina added.

"Simba wouldn't have wanted that." Kiara whispered, tears springing into her eyes at the thought of her father having to watch each of them die one by one.

"None of us do." Nala brushed her muzzle to her daughter's ear.

"It'd make more sense to fight." Sauda growled, her claws easily heard clicking in and out.

Kiara turned to the battle-scarred lioness, feeling a rush of sympathy. "That wouldn't be any better."

Nala shrugged. "I still think my idea is best."

Sarabi and Sarafina came to stand beside the former queen. "As do we."

Kiara forced her paws into the dirt to keep herself from following. "There's got to be something in second best."

Sauda looked a tad disgruntled for a moment, but after a shake of her scar-infested dark pelt, she came to stand beside Nala as well. "If Kovu ever wants a full pride, he'll have to give in. Maybe we can learn to live in harmony with the freaky guy."

Kiara looked around helplessly. No other lioness got up to join her mother, but they were all nodding their heads in agreement.

The princess waited, hoping with all her might that someone might've joined _her _side...but no one did.

She sighed, casting her mother a level look. "I think it's foolish to starve ourselves for something _they _did. But if the whole pride agrees on it, I will not protest any further."

"How will we tell Kovu?" Sauda asked.

Still looking a bit startled by her daughter's words, Nala shook her head and looked around the room, "They'll all eventually find us. I'll bet Kovu already got the hint that we're rebelling against him." She sighed, settling her gaze upon her sandy colored paws. "I'm thanking the Great Kings we haven't got any cubs to look after."

Kiara couldn't help but nod vigorously in her agreement. Where would they be if they _did_ have cubs to take care of? They surely couldn't starve them. They couldn't leave them anywhere near Kovu or Zira. As far as Kiara knew, Zira ripped cubs to shreds if she believed them to be useless or weak.

"Get comfortable." Nala instructed. "It's gonna be a long night."

* * *

"I don't understand this." Kovu hissed, stalking on next to Zira.

Zira rolled her eyes. "They're little rebels, those Pridelanders. But they'll learn. We tried being nice. We simply can't any longer though."

Kovu nodded. "...Vitani ought to report back soon." He lifted his head to stare up into the pitch black sky. "Hmph," He snorted in amusement. "If I know Kiara well enough, she'd rather die than get her fragile little paws dirty."

* * *

**Oh yes. This is leading somewhere if you were wondering. **

**Sorry I took so long to update, once again. I'm trying to improve on other things, too.**

**Oh, and by the way, if you didn't understand what Kovu and Zira were talking about, with names mentioned such as, "Cho" and "Bozo", well...I might be having a prequel to this story, talking about Kovu's life growing up in the Outlands. Cho and Bozo are two important characters in that.**

**And ALSO, there might possibly be a sequel to this story. I'm not giving anything away, but...something is going to happen, and it might be needing a second part...**

**Anyway, now that I got that all off my chest...er, be waiting for the next chapter!**


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